If you have young children, a trip to a pumpkin farm is an October "must." My family's all-time favorite was Bengtson's Farm in Homer Glen, Illinois, http://www.pumpkinfarm.com/ .
This spacious, well-kept farm has lots of animals, pony rides, hayrides, a corn maze, Haunted Barn, Fun Barn, Halloween shop and more.
In South Reno, it pains me to see the fake pumpkin patch on South Virginia Street, across from Walmart. Most of the year, the Toll House Pumpkin Patch is an empty lot. They cart in some pumpkins, set up some bouncy houses and call it a pumpkin patch.
It's good for kids to see where food comes from. They develop respect for nature and for the hard-working people who plant and harvest the crops. Ferrari Farms Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, on Mill Street just East of Rock Boulevard in Reno, is a no-frills farm, not as grand as Bengtson's, but it is a real, working farm.
This past beautiful Sunday afternoon, Ferrari Farms was packed with both kids and grown-ups, enjoying hayrides, a bouncy house, the corn maze and a few farm animals, but mostly just scurrying around, joyfully searching for perfect pumpkins and goofy gourds.
What's nice about this farm is that parking is free, admission is free and there are only modest charges for the hayrides and bouncy house. You can bring the kids to buy a pumpkin or two, show them pumpkins actually growing out of the ground and not spend a fortune.
What I'd really like to see, at Ferrari Farms or any pumpkin farms that welcome the public during the month of October, is a true educational component.
It would be great to see signs with fun facts such as how long it takes to grow a pumpkin, what kind of soil is best, how much water is needed, etc. Information about the nutritional value of pumpkins, kid-friendly pumpkin recipes and pumpkin-carving safety tips would be interesting and useful, too. If farm owners don't have the time or resources to present such exhibits, perhaps high school or college students could be given opportunities to volunteer and share their knowledge.
Ferrari Farms does not have a Web site but you can call (775) 856-4962 for more information.
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